7mm build

Just my 2 cents I have an STW and run 160 AB's at 3250 out of a 27" barrel. But my new favorite rifle is my 7 SAUM built on a tikka action with a Brux 1 in 8 twist 24" barrel and I get 2950 FPS with 180gr bergers and 64 gr of h-1000 and I was able to get 3150 with the 168s both with good accuracy. My STW's accuracy went away when I got over 3300.

If you reload and want a cartridge that really pushes a 195 or 180?
Then my suggestion is the 7 RBH (7mm/338 Norma mag improved)
Put into a 8 lbs rifle makes for a great 7mm for hunting!

There will always be many good options out there in the .284 for a person to look at.
At the end of the day a guy has to decide what is most important to him and make the dive.
I have a 7 Rem Mag that I shoot the 180 hybrid at 3100 under Retumbo. It has always shot in the .25's and has taken down everything from elk, Big Horn, Barbary, Mule deer to coyotes at 900.. Great little set up, and I can find plenty of cheap Winchester Brass to get the job done. I shot the Barrel out of a 28 nosler after 500 rounds trying to get the ultimate speed with the 195 EOL.. Brass was a joke to buy at 65.00 for 25 and the Reloader 33 was really dirty and caused pressure spikes. I really like a 28 Nos but, I'm not impressed with the life of Barrel and cost to shoot it. I haven't had a STW so can't give good information on that.. So, just decide what you really want to accomplish and make the gun for you use. You might have to live with high prices to get what you want. Personally I am pretty happy with the ole 7 Rem mag.. If you have your heart set on the 195 then 28Nos, Or STW would be good options.

I have a fresh STW build and my close buddy has a fresh 28 Nosler build. Mine is just an old sako mauser 98 action that was a 300 wby my grandpa had built years ago. The reason I went with the stw is the nostalgia of the round in "grandpas old gun...". Also the ease to rebarrel the 300 wby to that round.... His is a custom action and built from scratch. I am shooting the 175 eldx at about 3200 and he is shooting the 195 berger at about 3100, both very accurately. We have been shooting these guns together and it is 6 of one half dozen of the other. In accuracy, trajectory, etc.... The different bullets at different speeds actually fly about the same until his passes mine way way out there..... Both use nosler brass and both shoot a similar charge of retumbo. I believe i could push mine even harder with a longer magazine as i have to keep coal under 3.7 with that long bullet but because of case design he is able to seat way out and fill magazine.... So....these are both awesome 7mm rounds but if i was starting from scratch i would probably build a 28 nosler for the case capacity/length combo....

D R T said:

Thinking of building a 7mm to use the Berger 180's or 195 EOL's. Going to primarily use for S Texas long sendero shooting but also will be packing it out west. Thinking of using a Proof 26" 8 twist to stabilize the heavy bullets. Not tied to a specific caliber. Looking at a Bighorn TL3 long action to be able to have the option to switch calibers at a later date if wanted.

Thoughts on cartridges?

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My buddy and I each had a .284 Jarrett built 3 years ago. Necked down Winchester 300 WM brass, using the 195gr Berger EOL (ridiculously good BC vs 190 gr SMK) and 74 gr of Retumbo. With J Allen stock, Surgeon action and 24" Proof barrel it travels at 2960fps. This rifle has the recoil of a 260 Rem, shoots .25 MOA at 300 to 1,000 yds and easily stretches out to 2,000 yds. By far the most amazing rifle/cartridge I've ever seen.

I have a "lowly" 7RM custom chambered specifically for long OAL, Berger 195 EOL. It is a 26" 1:8 Bartlein Barrel, Area 419 Brake, Stiller Action, Jewell Trigger, McMillian Adj Game Scout, built by Roberts Precision Rifles in Houston. Not surprisingly, it shoots .2 MOA all day with 66.8gr H1000. I'm getting an average of 2805fps without pushing the limits. I just bought some RL26 and may be able to up that velocity, if there is no loss in accuracy. But ultimately, I feel the strongpoints of this set up is accuracy and resistance to wind deflection. Both traits I value heavily in a hunting rifle. I can also say that at about 12lbs loaded and with the brake, it is actually fun to shoot. During load development and range work, I shot 30-40 rounds in a day, off my shoulder, bag, and bipod and felt great.

I thought someone might be interested in real life data from a rifle shooting that bullet. This is the actual ballistic chart I hunt with in west Texas and have verified out to 1400yds on a private range near Houston. Ultimately it's all up to the needs/ priorities of the individual. But I don't find my rifle lacking in any area, other than it is not a lightweight, carry rifle. The one photo is my 195 handload next to a 175 SP factory round.

I must be the only one using 7mm Dakota.

lancetkenyon said:

These comments always crack me up. My 7RM is amazing. Shoots in the .1-.2s all the time. I have 8-10 reloads on my brass, with no special brass work other than FL sizing whole bumping the shoulder back .002", same as any other non-belted case. I shoot the 180 Hybrids @ 2996fps and that is not a hot load in my rifle.

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Interesting! I agree with you. Who's action and barrel, twist rate??

Hookdown said:

View attachment 111627 I have a "lowly" 7RM custom chambered specifically for long OAL, Berger 195 EOL. It is a 26" Bartlein Barrel, Area 419 Brake, Stiller Action, Jewell, McMillian, built by Roberts Precision Rifles in Houston. Not surprisingly, it shoots .2 MOA all day with H1000. I'm getting an average of 2805fps without pushing the limits. I just bought some RL26 and may be able to up that velocity, if there is no loss in accuracy. But ultimately, I feel the strongpoints of this set up is accuracy and resistance to wind deflection. Both traits I value heavily in a hunting rifle. I can also say that at about 12lbs loaded and with the brake, it is actually fun to shoot. During load development and range work, if shot 30-40 rounds in a day, off my shoulder, bag, and bipod and felt great.

I thought someone might be interested in real life data from a rifle shooting that bullet. This is the actual ballistic chart I hunt with in west Texas and have verified out to 1400yds on a private range near Houston. Ultimately it's all up to the needs/ priorities of the individual. But I don't find my rifle lacking in any area, other than it is not a lightweight, carry rifle. The one photo is my 195 handload next to a 175 SP factory round. View attachment 111625View attachment 111626

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A lot of people overlook the 7mmRM these days, but facts still remain that it's one of the best hunting cartridges ever designed...And it got even better with modern twists and modern bullets. Been using one for my main deer cartridge for 16+ years. I have plenty of other options, but when I'm walking into the woods for deer, it's the first thing I reach for in the safe.

Jerrys kid said:

Interesting! I agree with you. Who's action and barrel, twist rate??

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R700 LA BDL w. Tac shorty alloy bolt knob
Built by Phoenix Custom Rifles
26" Bartlein #3b fluted 1:8.5" w. APA Micro Bastard brake
Manners EH2 bedded
Rem factory BDL alloy bottom metal
Timney Calvin Elite @ 8oz
Seekins alloy 20MOA Picatinny rail
Seekins alloy 34mm low rings
S&B PMII 3-20×50 MTC LT w. H2CMR
Vortex Lo-pro level

Rem R-P brass (weight sorted to within 1.5gr)
CCI 250 Mag
69.0 H1000
180 Berger Hybrid
2.674" CBTO
2996fps
ES 11
SD 5.8

D R T said:

Thinking of building a 7mm to use the Berger 180's or 195 EOL's. Going to primarily use for S Texas long sendero shooting but also will be packing it out west. Thinking of using a Proof 26" 8 twist to stabilize the heavy bullets. Not tied to a specific caliber. Looking at a Bighorn TL3 long action to be able to have the option to switch calibers at a later date if wanted.

Thoughts on cartridges?

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I have a 300 WBY, I had Southern Precision Rifles (Bugholes.com) fit a Bartlein barrel on it last year. I shot some of my existing Nosler AB hand loads in it. It grouped 1" at 200 yds. I will work up loads soon to tighten that up. I was very well pleased with their work. My son is having a left hand 300 win mag total build by them as of right now. I would contact them for input on a build. Excellent workmanship and accuracy.
I would not like a gun to switch barrels on. I want one I can get out of my safe, grab my hand loads for that specific gun and take off on my hunting trip. Switching barrels seems to complicated and time consuming. But that is me personally. How many times have we bought things that we can convert to something else and never convert it?

I'm strongly considering a long action switch barrel build with the 7mm-375/7mmPRC. Since Hornady is going to be pushing the .300PRC, it should aid in components and give readily available brass (albeit with possible longevity issues) to neck down to the longer 7mm bullets. I've already got an STW, which I am probably going to sale, and I believe Hornady is going to make a family of bullets off of the .300 PRC case that will be SAAMI'd. Of course, I may be all wrong but it won't be the first time or the last. I've got a short action switch barrel setup now and will probably be going 7mmSAUM in it shortly.

Hornady and Ruger wouldn't be in business if they didn't have their "we'll create a new revolutionary world saving cartridge that's already been done but we put new shiny wrapping on it" relationship. Its a 300 win w/o the belt, a 30 nosler w/o the rebated rim. It fits a niche, how successful will it be? In my prediction, not very. If they can make ammo for 35$ a box like the prc and creedmoor than maybe. But if it's anything like their 300norma ammo @ 85$ a box for junk brass, cheap bullets and bulk powder, it'll never get off the ground. A 7mm blaser, wsm, or rem mag throated correctly will run within 150fps of a 28 nosler with 15-20% less powder and have double the barrel life.

WildRose said:

The STW is perfect for your application and not surprisingly my favorite of all rifle calibers.

The 28 Nosler gets very close in performance but will never quite match it and certainly lacks the "cool factor" of the STW.

The Rum will certainly out perform both but at a pretty terrible cost in recoil, muzzle blast, cost and for very little gain.

Other good options would be the 7 LRM and 7mm-375Ruger. The latter doesn't have the ridiculously long neck of the LRM and gains enough case capacity to pretty well mirror the STW.

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What is your definition of ridiculously long neck?? I know nothing about the 7LRM but the most accurate cartridges today have looooong necks - 6PPC for example. I also like long necks for chasing the lands and there are some - that are more knowledgeable than me say longer necks are easier on throats.